Current methodologies for forming structures made from concrete (generally a cement aggregate, substantially made from ingredients such as Portland cement, sand, gravel, and water; in its semi-liquid state it is substantially known as plastic concrete and once set, it is generally known as concrete) re-enforced and otherwise, may be considered to be expensive and/or labor-intensive in that such methodologies generally require the use of relatively heavy, thick, and bulky forms that substantially require assembly by crews having specialized knowledge and training. Using such construction systems and associated methodologies, concrete footing (e.g., foundation) and corresponding concrete wall structures may be created by pouring plastic concrete into cavity denoted by form that is made from connected panels held in place by framing and stakes. Once the pour is completed and sufficiently set, the forms (framing, stakes, panels, and alike) may be disassembled and removed to be later reused to create another form for another concrete structure. These forming systems and methodologies may be utilized to build various commercial structures such as office buildings, commercial retail structures, heavy industrial structures, multiple family residential structures and the like wherein a sizable amount of concrete needs to be poured to create the footings and subsequent walls for such structures.
The amount of plastic concrete needed to create concrete structures for such heavy construction may require the panels of corresponding concrete forms to be made from relatively resilient material (e.g., plywood or a metal, like steel) with sufficient thickness. The panels may need to be strong enough to withstand the pressure that the poured plastic concrete may exert against them until the concrete sets. By analogy, such exerted pressure is much like that pressure that retained water presents against a dam wall. However, once the plastic concrete in the form has set into concrete, the pressure it previously exerted as plastic concrete as applied to panels of the form is generally abated.
These heavy-duty concrete form systems may also be employed for other building structures having building and construction needs requiring significantly less concrete than heavy construction projects of a commercial nature. These other structures may include light commercial structures and single family residential homes. The heavy-duty concrete form systems could be seen as being more robust than is needed for handling the much reduced plastic concrete requirements (and respective exerted panel pressures) as found in those light construction projects. As a result, the heavy duty concrete form systems may add significantly to the construction costs of such light construction projects without providing a corresponding benefit. The needs of light construction could be met instead by a light duty, concrete form system and method using comparatively thin and lightweight panels to generally handle smaller concrete forming needs at reduced costs.
Additionally, in developing nations subjected to natural disasters such as hurricanes, typhoons, or earthquakes, reconstruction of inexpensive concrete structures resistant to wind and seismic forces is hampered by the attributes of the current forming methods. The bulk and weight (and hence costs) of transporting heavy duty concrete forming systems to such areas along crews of specially trained personnel to erect the forms, may inhibit or otherwise delay either the initial construction or reconstruction of concrete structures to such areas that may have suffered natural disaster or the like.
What is needed therefore is a lightweight hulk, easily transported, and easily assembled concrete form system with an accompanying method that can be easily utilized by unskilled labor for light duty construction. Such a system could utilize a unitary, lightweight panels spaced apart in opposing and parallel configuration by ties to generally create a form that substantially denotes a cavity into which the plastic concrete may be poured to form the desired concrete structure. The method for this system could control the rate/amount of the plastic concrete is poured into cavity of the form so that the placement of plastic concrete into the cavity does not overload the form's holding capacity (e.g. rupture one or more lightweight, lower strength panels or the assembly of such panels.) The method could accomplish this control through delayed timing or otherwise staggering the introduction or pour of the plastic concrete into the form to substantially allow a previously introduced plastic concrete to set (becoming concrete and reducing the accompanying pressures upon the lightweight panels) before introducing a subsequent plastic concrete into the assembled form. This action could reduce the operating amount of pressure exerted by plastic concrete on the form at any one time to substantially allow the form panels to be made from less resilient (and generally lighter) materials such as sheet metal and corrugated cardboard components (or possibly use thinner/less amounts of materials currently used in concrete forms thus resulting in lighter or lightweight panels of such materials.) The use of such lighter materials or reduction (e.g., thinner panels) of heavier materials in the making of form panels could make the system more lightweight, more compact (prior to assembly), less costly, and easier to transport. The invention's components may further be easily palletized and bundled, allowing sets of said components for forming numerous structures can be shipped in one standard shipping container.